SHIPWRECKED
by lady knight Ardia
Summary: A class field trip goes awry when the boat the kids are on is hijacked by dangerous, escaped criminals. Will the kids survive a deserted Island with dangerous criminals after them all?
1. Leaving

(The students are fourteen. I don't own Hey Arnold!)

…..

"Would you like help with that, fair lady?" Curly asked from behind her. Rhonda cringed. She couldn't stand the creep!

"No thank you Curly," she said, and continued to try to struggle until she saw her best friend. "Nadine!"

Her best friend turned around and smiled, but lost it when she saw Rhonda's bags.

"Seriously?" she asked, coming forward to help her. "Rhonda, we're going on a one day field trip, not a five day holiday!"

"Oh, Nadine," she said, as if talking to a simpleton. "I'm not walking around sweating and getting bitten by bugs. I have my swimsuit, for swimming, my bathing suit, for sunbathing, and several changes of clothes in there!"

"Jeez, are you trying to sink the boat?" Helga sneered. Rhonda's face ticked. UGH! She hated Helga. The girl was quick as a whip with insults and sarcasm. She was mean and loud and rude, and had absolutely no sense of style what-so-ever.

"Helga," warned a soft, soothing voice. Arnold. The nicest guy in their grade. "Come on, we're going to be on a boat and island with these people, don't get off side with them."

Rhonda Wellington Lloyd would never understand what Arnold saw in Helga. He was her complete opposite. Though she had to admit, Helga wasn't as bad when he was around. He seemed to be able to keep her in her place with a tone of his voice, or even the touch of his hand on her.

Many people wanted to learn that trick!

"Whatever," Helga said, covering her mouth with a yawn, as if bored of the whole situation. "I just want to get there, do what we need to, and get back in time for Wrestlemania tonight."

Ugh! Did that girl have a feminine bone in her body? She and Nadine watched as Helga and Arnold walked away together, Arnold speaking to her softly.

"I'll _never_ understand," Rhonda said, shaking her head and sighing.

"_I_ don't understand why your coming on this trip, Rhonda," Nadine said. "You just said it yourself. You hate bugs, nature and getting sweaty. Why'd you change your mind?"

"_Him_," Rhonda said, pointing to Lorenzo.

"Lorenzo?" Nadine asked. "Since when were you interested in him?"

"Hm, let me see. Rich, check. Cute, check. Smart, check," she said. "Plus I haven't dated him yet. He's so elusive."

"That's probably because he has a girlfriend," Nadine pointed out.

Rhonda just shrugged.

"Is she here?"

"No."

"What a shame," Rhonda said smirking.

…

"I feel bad for Curly," Helga told Arnold as they were taking seats on the charter.

"What's this? Helga G. Pataki, feeling sorry for someone other than herself?" Gerald asked.

"Shut up, stack-a-hair," Helga snapped. Great, Gerald was going to be hanging around Arnold like a bad smell, now that Phoebe was unable to come. She's come down with a stomach bug. Helga had told her not to volunteer at that kindergarten with all those little two-legged disease bags running around, touching her and breathing on her, but she had laughed. Well, who was laughing now? Certainly not Phoebe.

"Rhonda has made herself at home on the top deck," Gerald said. "Right in front of Lorenzo."

"Poor guy," Helga said. "Another victim of the Princess of Serial Dating."

Arnold and Gerald nodded. Gerald had fallen prey to her himself. At one point he had stopped talking to Arnold for two weeks, all because Rhonda had been singing Arnold's praises. It caused a fight between the boys, which made Arnold sulk, and annoyed Helga, so Helga had a talk to the girl, and it stopped. The "_misunderstanding_" was cleared up, and Rhonda was distantly polite to Arnold now, and he was probably the only semi-popular guy she hadn't dated. That was when Gerald let up on Helga a bit. He knew she couldn't stand him hanging around, but put up with him for Arnold's sake. So he figured the best thing he could do was return the favour. Though he wouldn't jump into the sea to rescue her if she was drowning, he would at least throw her a flotation device to help her out.

"I'm going to leave you guys to it," Helga said, standing up. "I'm going to go upstairs and watch the show. Should be interesting."

As she went the two boys shook their heads.

…

"So, _Lorenzo_ huh?" Helga asked.

Rhonda moved her sunglasses down her nose.

"Can I help you Pataki?" she asked.

"No, no, I'm cool," she told her smiling. "But you know me, Princess. Never one to miss the show of you embarrassing yourself."

"Well," Rhonda said. "For your information he's been looking my way on and off for a while now. They all have."

"That's probably because your boob's exposed," Helga told her.

"What!" she cried, sitting up and grabbing her boobs. All the boys looked over. Rhonda glared as Helga laughed. Nothing was exposed.

"Oh man, you are _too_ easy," she said laughing.

"I'm counting on that," someone laughed behind them.

Sid.

"As if," Rhonda said.

The boat started to pull away from the dock. They heard some shouting downstairs and they all walked to the railing to look back at the dock.

"Oh, no, the teachers and parents!" Nadine cried.

"What the heck is going on here? Does the driver know he's left behind three quarters of the passengers?" Helga asked.

"Who cares?" Sid asked. "Party time, woooo!"

"Such a dork," Rhonda said, watching him go over to where the other boys were.

"Hey guys, no teachers!" he called out. A cheer went up.

Rhonda saw Helga dissappear back down below. Good riddance!

….

"What's going on?" Helga demanded.

"I don't know," Gerald said. "Arnold's gone to find the captain and tell him."

They watched as the boat got further and further away.

"Are those flashing lights?" Helga asked, squinting. "Did they call the police?"

"Over a boat leaving them behind?" Gerald asked. They looked at each other, imaginations going into overdrive. This was probably the worst part of Gerald and Helga being around eachother. They both had wild imaginations that ran rampant. Most of the time Arnold could talk them down, but sometimes even he got caught up in it all.

"We should probably find Arnold," Helga said.

"Good idea."

…

Arnold knocked on the door to the control room.

"What?" a gruff voice snapped from inside.

"Um, you left most of the people behind," Arnold called out to him.

"They'll be on the next boat," he was told by a different voice. Did he hear laughing. "Relax kid, and enjoy the ride!"

Arnold took a few steps back and eyed the door, suspicious.

"Arnold, there you are!" he turned to see Helga and Gerald making their way over to him.

"What's going on?" Gerald asked. Arnold grabbed Helga's hand.

"I don't know," he said, looking back at the door. "They said the others were going on another boat."

"_Another_ boat?" Helga asked. "But this boat is more than big enough."

"I think we should go outside and talk," Arnold said in a lowered voice.

…..

All the remaining students, the teachers and the parents looked up in surprise as the boat started to move away from the dock. Stella was the first to call out. Where was it going? They weren't ready. The adults weren't even on board!

The other adults and students joined in, and they looked up to see some of the students look over a railing in shock. She spotted Helga looking alarmed. Damn it. If there was one thing she had learned Helga didn't like it was boats without adults she knew. In fact, most of the students who were with her son on that trip were wary about going somewhere without adults they know. Helga, Arnold and Gerald especially . . .

"Oh, baby sister!" Olga cried out. "Why are they leaving?"

A few minutes later they heard sirens and looked to see at least six police cars, lights flashing, sirens sounding, stopping, then getting out of their cars. They ran down to the dock and she heard some of them swear. Then one pulled out his walkie talkie.

"They've escaped!"

…..

"What do you mean the kids have been _kidnapped_!?" Bob Pataki bellowed.

"Please, sir, we're trying to locate the boat right now."

Bob's throat closed up. The last time he had heard those words in regards to his youngest daughter, it was because she and her class and teachers had been kidnapped by pirates in the jungle. He had truly thought he was existed. He had vowed then and there that things would change. It hadn't been easy, but things had. For the better.

He looked over at the parents of his daughters boyfriend. They looked even more distraught, and he could understand that. Miles had been a few years younger, and behind him in school, but they had grown up in the same neighbourhood. Miriam had started a coffee group of sorts and his wife had attended at times with Alfred. Or was it Harold? No, Harold was the fat boy . . . Arnold! That's right. They had been separated from him for years. They must be so worried now, being separated from him again.

"We will let all of you know when we have more information," the man behind the desk said.

"Are they dangerous?" one of the fathers asked. He was short and slim, with thinning hair and a long nose.

The desk clerk was quiet. He didn't have to say anything. The look on his face said it all.

The boat hadn't just been hijacked by criminals.

It had been hijacked by dangerous criminals!

His heart sank.

'_Keep your heads down and your mouths shut_' he silently begged his daughter and her friends.


	2. Abandon Ship!

(Thisismy firs attempt at action. Just a little something different from all the romance stories out there! P.S, I know nothing about boats except that they float!)

ABANDON SHIP!

.

Three Hours Later

.

Arnold made his way up to the top deck of the boat. Up there the kids were listening and dancing to music, and some of the girls were sunbathing. He walked over to the stereo and switched it off.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" Sid demanded.

"Something's wrong, guys," he said loudly.

"Yeah, you turned off the music!" Park called out.

"No, I mean _really_ wrong," he repeated. "The island is only a half hour ride."

"So?" Rhonda demanded.

"So, we've been sailing for_ three hours_," Arnold informed them.

Everyone looked around at everyone else.

"Are you sure?" Lorenzo asked. Arnold nodded. "Maybe we should talk to the captain?"

"I already tried, he just told me to relax," Arnold told him. "Guys, as we were taking off there were police heading towards the dock."

"What's your point?" Sid asked. Arnold looked at him, and could see that, despite the bravado, he was starting to worry himself.

"My point is, I don't think the captain is sailing this ship, and I don't think we're heading for the island," Arnold said. "If anything, I'd say we're heading out to sea."

…..

Helga went in search of the toilet. Nature called, and she'd held on long enough. Gerald again had gone to try to talk to the captain, Arnold had gone upstairs to talk to the kids up there, and she had decided to use the powder room, so to speak. The boat hit a wave and she lost her balance, landing against a wall.

"Criminy!" she yelled. "Where'd he get his licence to drive a boat? The cereal box?"

THUMP!

Helga looked around. What was that?

"Hello?" she called.

"THUMP THUMP!

She followed the noise to a door in the hallway. She knocked on it and called out hello.

THUMP THUMP THUMP!

Steeling herself she pulled the door open and gasped in shock.

There was the captain and his helper.

Tied up, and badly beaten, but alive.

But if they were here?

Who was steering the boat?

…

"Hey guys," Helga said, gaining everyone's attention. Everyone turned to see Helga standing next to two beaten up guys. "This is the captain and his second. We've been hijacked."

"We're all gonna die!" Sid screamed. He fell to his knees, then his head hit the deck and he curled himself into a ball. "Not again!"

"What do you mean, we've been hijacked?" Rhonda demanded, storming over.

"I _mean_, Princess, that those cops we saw were after some criminals. Who are currently steering _this_ boat!" Helga informed her.

"I need to get you kids off here," the captain said, looking around. "But we're too far out."

Silence fell over the crowd as the realisation of their predicament sunk in.

They were at sea.

With dangerous criminals.

No way to contact anyone.

"And those clouds a really concerning me."

…..

"Any news?" Miles asked. The man behind the desk shook his head.

"They haven't been spotted yet," he said. "They're calling off the search in any case."

"What? Why?" Bob demanded.

"Bad weather," he said. "It's not safe."

"So you have a _hijacked ship_ out there, with a bunch of _Junior High School kids_, with _deranged killers_ on board, and your going to _stop_?" Bob asked, his voice raising. A few of the parents and teachers who were gathered there added their voices and concerns to the mix. Miles had to hand it to the Pataki family. When they got outraged, they formed a mob faster than a human could blink.

"We can't risk losing more people at sea," he told them.

"Our children are lost at sea?" a woman's shrill voice could be heard.

…

The ride was starting to get really bumpy. The clouds had rolled in and were getting darker and darker.

"How many kids do we have?" Captain Stein asked.

"Lorenzo, Sid, Rhonda, Nadine, Helga, Gerald, me, Stinky, Curly, and Sheena," Arnold told him. "The rest were left behind."

"I want all of you to stay here, you hear me?" he told them. "I'm leaving Stewart with you. You listen to him. No matter what you hear, don't come looking for me."

He turned to Stewart.

"Get the lifeboat ready, and get lifejackets on these kids. Get them off this boat if you have to."

Stewart nodded, then went to a cupboard and started handing out lifejackets.

"Ugh, orange!" Rhonda cried. "I don't _do_ orange." She stuck her nose in the air and held it out in front of her.

"Do you do blue?" Stewart asked.

"I can do blue, why?" she asked.

"Because that's the colour you'll be when you drown," he snapped. "Put the damn thing on."

"Well I never," she said.

"You drown, and you never will again."

Stewart continued handing them out and helping the kids get them on. Then he took them to the side of the boat and uncovered the two emergency rafts.

"Oh, god," Rhonda groaned. "We're going to die."

Looking out at the sea, Arnold wouldn't deny he was currently having the same thoughts. It was really bad. And just got worse. Cold, hard rain suddenly poured down on them.

"Arrh!" Rhonda cried, trying to take cover.

BANG!

"Oh my God, that was a gun!" Sid cried out. Panic set in.

"In the rafts, now!" Stewart shouted. Everyone tried piling in at once. Then screamed as a shot rang out and Stewart suddenly fell into the water without a sound.

"Hey, look, Lucas, we got ourselves some kidlets!" the big guy said, stalking toward them. Arnold and Helga looked back at the others who were in the raft. Arnold leaped forward and released the raft everyone was in. it dropped into the water, and the man with the gun shot at him. Helga grabbed a bit of pulley lying on the floor and threw it, hitting the man in the knee.

"What's going on?" a man who must have been Lucas asked. Arnold and Helga took the chance to jump overboard.

…

They didn't let go of each others hands, and when they made it to the surface, they looked around, fighting from sinking beneath the waves. Thank God for the lifejackets!

"Where are they?" Helga asked, wrapping her arms around Arnoldas best she could. She felt his arms wrap around her. Damn it, why did she have to wear jeans? She should have worn pants.

"Arnold! Helga!" they heard Gerald's voice calling.

Arnold pulled the whistle attached to his lifejacket out and blew into it

Arnold felt something solid bump into his head.

"Arnold? Are you alright man?" Gerald asked, grabbing his hands and pulling him in. Curly grabbed Helga's and pulled her in. They were absolutely soaked.

"Yeah, we're alright," Arnold said, looking at Helga who just nodded and shivered. "Let's make some shelter to keep the rain off."

Arnold, Gerald, and the boys worked the raft cover into a kind of tent to keep the rain off them. All ten huddled together under it.

"Do you think there's sharks in there?" Rhonda asked. Helga shuddered, and not from the cold. Sharks. And she was just in there!

Scary.

"Too cold, I think," Arnold said, squeezing Helga's arm reassuringly. Helga gave him a smile, and he smiled back and Rhonda suddenly felt jealous. How come Helga had someone and something so wonderful and she didn't? she was prettier, richer, more popular, much more fashionable and friendly. And yet, there she was, single, while Helga had someone to lovingly wrap their arms around her to keep her warm.

"It's not fair," Rhonda muttered under her breath.

"Never fear, my sweetness and cream, Curly is here to protect you," he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Ugh! Get away from me!" she yelled pushing him away.

"Rhonda, be careful!" Park yelled angrily. "You almost pushed me in!"

"It's his fault!" she yelled back. "If he weren't such a creep-"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Sid yelled, covering his ears.

Everyone was quiet.

Suddenly Sheena spoke quietly.

"No one knows where we are."

….

"How _bad_ are these guys?" Rhonda's mother asked.

"One of them was in for assault, rape, robbery and attempted murder, the other murder and assault," Bob told them.

"Oh, no, the girls!" Sheena's mother cried out. She leaned into her husband and cried. "Our girls, what if one of them-"

"Shhh, nothing is going to happen," he told her. "Those kids are tough. They'll survive."

…

"Land!" Nadine's voice rang out. Everyone looked out of the cover. It was still raining pretty hard. They bumped into the shore and heard the sand against the base of the raft. The boys quickly got out and started to pull it further onto shore.

"Do you think the tide is in or out?" Lorenzo asked.

"Let's assume it's out," Stinky said, "And get this as close to those trees as we can!"

The girls hopped out and followed the boys.

"What's the time?" Arnold asked Lorenzo. He looked at his watch.

"Quarter to five," he said.

"Are you sure?" he asked. Lorenzo nodded.

They had gotten onboard at nine thirty, overboard by twelve thirty, quarter to one, and in the raft since. His stomach grumbled. Now he knew why.

"We need to build shelter," Arnold said. "Let's go."

Rhonda found some shade from the rain and plopped herself down. What a miserable day. First they were hijacked, then she had gotten all wet, watched a man die, spent hours on a raft with nine other people, and now she was stuck on some stupid beach with only trees for shelter! She hadn't even had time to grab her bag and stereo. So she had no hair dryer, or towels, or change of clothes. Only her bathing suit and sarong.

"This. Is. The worst. Day. Of. My. Life!" she said, pouting.

"Well, it's about to get worse," Helga snapped. "Get up and help us find some firewood, while the guys build some shade."

"And how do they intend to start a fire without matches?" she asked sharply. "Rub two sticks together?"

"Sid's a smoker, he had a lighter," Helga told her. "It's in a little waterproof carrier thing. "Just in case" or something."

She watched Helga walk away a bit, before stopping and turning to glare at her.

"Well? Hurry up!"

….

When the girls got back, the boys had used the raft cover to build a makeshift shelter.

"We can build a better one tomorrow when we have more time," Arnold told them.

They had used some big branches and tied the cover to it. They were as close to the trees as they could get.

"I come with food!" Curly said. Every turned and their jaws dropped. He had indeed. Somehow he had managed to catch fish!

"Curly, how-"

"Caught in the rock pools," he said, smiling and dropping them down on the ground.

"How are we going to prepare them?" Rhonda asked.

…..


	3. Gotta Get Outta Here!

(Sorry, my fourteen years old versions of the HA characters wont be having sex and sucking face all the time. 1: _because they have killers after them_. 2: _They stranded on a deserted Island_. And 3.: _**They're 14**_. So romance will also be taking a Romance fans!)

.

"I'm so _cold_," Helga muttered as she snuggled closer to Arnold.

"I know," he said. It felt strange being alone with Helga and so close. Especially with only their underwear separating them from skin to skin. They hung out together, kissed and hugged, but there was always supervision. And they were always standing or sitting, never lying down. There were rules for both of them when they were at each others house.

'_Under different circumstances, this would be romantic_,' Arnold thought. He wished he could enjoy it, but he was just as scared and worried as the others. And he could tell it was the same for Helga. She was snuggling in for warmth, not romance.

"Do you think they'll find us soon?" Stinky asked out loud.

Nobody answered.

"I'm so tired," Sheena said, yawning. "Who's snoring?"

"Sid," Stinky said. "All the time. Think we've seen the last of them crims?"

"I hope so," Nadine said. "Did you see that guy? He just killed those two men. Just shot them."

Silence fell over the group again.

"At least it's stopped raining," Arnold said.

Everyone groaned and Helga punched him in the arm.

Arnold smiled in the darkness.

..

"This is ridiculous!" Lucas growled, scowling.

"What are you talking about? I don't see you paddling!" his friend yelled at him.

"When I get my hands on those brats-"

"Forget the brats, man, they're gone. Probably fish food by now."

Lucas just smiled.

"Hey, I think I see land!" his friend said, pointing behind him. Lucas turned around and looked.

"Gavin your right, it is land," Lucas said. "And is that a camp with fire?"

"Think it's the kids?" he asked.

"Could be, my friend, could be," he said, nodding. "Maybe this will work out okay in the end after all. Let's land a little ways away."

"Why?"

"So they don't know we're here."

..

Helga sat up with a fright. She had had this horrible nightmare where those guys had come on shore and surprised them. She looked around, but couldn't see anything other than her fellow classmates sleeping. The fire was just embers. She needed to go toilet, but was too scared to go on her own.

"Helga?" she heard a voice whisper. She looked over to see Sheena looking at her. "I need to go. Can you come with me?"

"Yeah, sure, I need to go too anyway," she said, smiling.

Sheena smiled back. Of all the girls she was glad it was Helga. Helga was tough and brave and seemingly fearless, except when rats were involved. She grabbed Helga's hand, and they snuck behind some bushes.

"Let's keep talking to each other, okay?" Helga said.

"Good idea," Sheena said. "Are you going to try out for the school play this year?"

"I don't know," Helga said.

"I think you should," Sheena said. "You do Shakespeare so well. You just have this . . . presence, you know? This way of catching the story . . .oh, I cant manage my words!"

"I know what you mean," Helga said, laughing. She shook and stood up, looking over to see Sheena doing the same. Then she saw a shadow move behind her, but before she could say anything a hand clamped over her mouth, and an arm around her neck, cutting off her air. She tried calling for help, but couldn't and finally passed out.

..

Arnold shivered. Which was odd. Helga should be keeping him warm. He opened his eyes to see she was gone.

"Helga?" he called out quietly. He looked around to see another gap in their group where Sheena should be. "Sheena?"

"What's going on?" Lorenzo asked, sitting up. "Arnold?"

"Helga and Sheena are gone," he said.

"Where?" Gerald asked, also sitting up.

"I don't know."

There was a snap of a brunch in the trees behind them. Gerald, Arnold and Lorenzo all stood up, expecting to see the two girls come out from the trees. Instead two large shadows, turned into the men from the boat.

"Hey, kids, nice fire," the biggest one said, taking a seat and placing what he was carrying down on the ground gently.

"Helga!" Arnold yelled coming forward. They guy aimed a gun at him.

"She's having a nap, poor girl is tired. Sit down," he ordered.

Arnold shook his head and looked at his girlfriends sleeping form. Or at least, he hoped it was sleeping. What if he had killed her? He took a step back and fell to the ground, feeling angry.

"Yeah, you kids got some food?" the other asked, dropping his load.

Sheena.

"What's going on?" Nadine asked, finally stirring and waking up. She froze when she saw who was there.

"Alright, let's pair you kiddies up," the one who was called Lucas said. He picked Helga up and carried her over to Arnold. "Your girlfriend?"

Arnold nodded. Lucas pulled out some handcuffs and cuffed one around Helga's wrist and one around his.

"Pretty girl, fiery," he said laughing. Then he leaned in and whispered, "Fun in bed too, eh?"

Arnold blushed scarlet. He wouldn't know. They hadn't gone that far!

"Oh, I see, _virgins_," Lucas sneered, then laughed. "Maybe we can work on that." He turned his attention to the others.

Arnold looked away and down at Helga. They had talked about it, of course, but had mutually decided they were too young and would wait until after high school, or at least senior year. Whenever they were both ready. It was something Arnold knew Helga wanted to be special, and he was delighted that that was a special event she wanted to share with him, and he felt the same way. The idea of someone taking that choice away from them, that special-ness away from them, made his heart hurt, and his stomach churn.

They had to get away from these guys.

_But how?_

Lucas cuffed Rhonda to Curly, Sid to Stinky, Sheena to Gerald and Lorenzo to Nadine.

"Right, now that we have that sorted, where's the food?"

…

Arnold held Helga's hand. He was relieved to feel that her hand was still warm and that she was still breathing. He looked over at Rhonda who looked absolutely miserable stuck to Curly, who was the complete opposite. He had a big grin plastered on his face. She kept throwing glares Nadine and Lorenzo's way.

He looked down at Helga when he heard a groan escape from Helga. He looked down to see her opening her eyes.

"Arnold?" she asked weakly.

"Shhhh," he put a finger to his lips. She frowned, then sat up. Arnold helped her.

"Where's Sheena?" she asked quickly. "I saw someone-"

"Well lookey here, blondie two is awake," a mean voice sang. Helga looked over and stifled her gasp. The guys from the boat. They were here!

Helga looked around and finally saw Sheena, sitting close to Gerald and look her way, tears in her eyes.

"So how old are you kids, anyway?" Gavin asked.

"Fourteen and fifteen," Stinky answered.

"Really?" Lucas asked grinning. "Is that _all_?"

No one said anything. He looked at Arnold and Helga.

"You two the only ones in this group dating each other?" he asked. Helga felt Arnold stiffen. She looked at him, and the look on his face made her worried. "Well?"

"Yes," Arnold answered.

"You know, international waters . . . I'm looking for some entertainment," he said. He smiles at them, then turned his gaze to Nadine. "I've always been partial to blondes."

"Why aren't we running?" Helga whispered to Arnold. "There's ten of us, we could take them."

"Because they both have guns and aren't afraid of killing people," Arnold whispered back. "And we're seated far enough away from each other that we cant even come up with a plan without them overhearing."

"But-"

"No. If we run they could shoot at us and kill us," Arnold told her. "Even if we get away, we don't know anything about this island, and what's to say they wont shoot the others? No one knows we're here, we'd never be found."

….

"Hello?" Mr. Johansson said, answering his phone. "Do you have some news?"

All the parents looked up. They had gathered at the Boarding House. Phoebe was there also. As were some other classmates, and teachers. He listened for a moment, while everyone watched him.

"They found the boat!" he told everyone.

"Are the kids alright?" Sheena's mother asked.

"So where are they?" he asked to the person on the other side. His face fell. "How long could it take?"

Everyone looked at each other. Stella was using breathing techniques to keep herself from hyperventilating and losing it altogether. She couldn't lose her son again. Not now!

"Okay, thank you," he said. He hung up his phone. He was quiet for a moment. How did he tell everyone? He took a deep breath. There was no way of sugar-coating this. "They found the boat. It capsized. They also found the bodies of the Captain and his second."

"Bodies?" Miles asked. Mr. Johansson nodded.

"But no kids, right?" Bob asked.

"No, they're going to be looking for them though. The emergency rafts were missing. Two of them," he told them. "There's just one problem."

"What's that?" Mr. Peterson asked.

"They're in the ocean somewhere, they just don't know _where_."

…

"Alright, kiddies, my friend and I need a nap," Lucas said standing up. "Over to the tree, come on."

The all stood up and followed him over to a tree. Helga and Sheena looked at each other and smiled. They knew this tree. They went back to looking sad and scared as Lucas threaded rope through their cuffs and tied it to the tree. '_This will be a cinch to escape_', Sid though. They still have free hands!

Lucas stopped by Nadine and breathed in the scent of her hair and touched her shoulder sliding his hand into her top.

"So young and pretty," he said close to her ear. She looked ready to scream. Then he looked over at Arnold and Helga. "The fun we're gonna have."

"Lucas!" Gavin called out. "Time for that later. Let's hide the camp!"

As he walked away they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"We need to _run_," Helga said.

"They have _guns_!" Rhonda snapped. "_I_ can't outrun a bullet, can _you_?"

"We wait til they're asleep you idiot," Helga snapped back.

"We're tied to a tree, in case you hadn't noticed," Lorenzo pointed out. He as tired, cold, and hungry. Not a good combination.

Helga and Sheena smiled at each other, grasped the tree by the trunk and pulled up.

"Whoa!" Sid said. "How'd you _do_ that?"

"Earlier, when we were looking for firewood, Sheena leand against it and it feel out, roots and all," Helga informed them.

"I felt bad, so Helga helped me stand it back up," Sheena explained.

"So all we need to do is slip the rope off over the roots, which means it will be loose enough for us to untie it, and then we can get the heck outta here!" Helga said.

"Yeah, before Lucas puts on his porno play," Sid said.

"Excuse me?" Helga asked. "A what play?"

"You didn't get his innuendo?" Sid asked, genuinely shocked. Helga was usually the most perceptive of the bunch. "He was going to watch you and Arnold have sex, then I think he was going to have some one-sided fun with Nadine."

The colour drained from Helga's face. That one comment was aimed at her, Arnold and Nadine specifically? No. no way. She was not losing her virginity like that. When her and Arnold finally did do it, it was going to be on their own terms and romantic. Not on some deserted island with some creep watching and getting his jollies off!

"Even more reason to get the hell away from here," Helga said.

"We're going to have to be careful though, guys," Arnold told them, helping to lower the tree quietly. He looked towards the two men who were still awake and smiling at each other, covering up their fire pit and taking down their makeshift shelter. "We don't know how big this island is, or what's on it."

"Do we stick together or split up?" Curly asked.

"Stick together for now," Arnold said. He looked around. There was a small hill that seemed to lead to a cliff. "We need to get to high, clear ground and make a flag or some sign so if they fly over they know we're here."

They sat and waited for the guys to get comfy and quiet down. When they were sure it was safe they pulled the tree up, untangled the rope from the roots, then got to work on the knots.

"These guys are idiots," Nadine said, pulling the last of the rope through her cuff.

"Just be thankful," Stinky said. "And let's get the hell outta here!"


End file.
